The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Jackson evasive on QB plans
Browns coach said he expects Thomas’ decision on retirement soon
Hue Jackson might have a second career guarding state secrets if he doesn’t succeed at his current profession.
The Browns’ third-year head coach, the first speaker on Feb. 28 at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, was evasive when reporters tried to get him to reveal how the Browns rate the crop of quarterbacks available in the 2018 draft.
As their reward for finishing 0-16 last season, the Browns have the first pick in the draft on April 26. They also own picks 4, 33, 35, 63 and 65 in the first three rounds.
“Having six of the first 65 picks is going to be a huge opportunity for us to move forward,” Jackson said at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I’ve seen them all (the quarterbacks). This is another opportunity to talk to them, to get a feel for them.
“I think it’s too early in the process to talk about where they rank, but this is really the start of it. I think it’s really about getting to know them as people and digging into all the medical things and being able to put a face with the name. I like hand size, guys who are athletic, but it still has to fit in with what you’re trying to accomplish on offense.”
Sam Darnold of Southern Cal, Josh Rosen of UCLA, Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma and Josh Allen of Wyoming are considered the top four quarterbacks in the draft. All have strengths and all have flaws. Jackson did touch on those in the 17-minute interview.
On Darnold losing nine fumbles in 2017:
“You have to see where that’s coming from,” Jackson said. “Is it because the guy’s not protecting the ball? Maybe somebody is hitting him on the arm. It could be his grip. It’s something we have to find out about.”
Jackson is disappointed Darnold is waiting until the USC pro day March 21 to throw in front of NFL personnel.
“Sam’s making the decision,” Jackson said. “We wish he would throw, but there are going to be times to watch him work out. Do I wish he was throwing to watch him compete with the other guys? Yes, I do. But that’s not going to hinder us making a decision
on what kind of player he is for our football team.”
On Mayfield being just a shade over 6-foot tall:
“There are always outliers,” Jackson said. “There are guys still playing that are below 6-foot-2 (Drew Brees with New Orleans and Russell Wilson with Seattle) and have played really well. There is always that one player that’s going to be special and this young man might be that.”
Jackson said he is looking forward to interviewing Mayfield to learn more about what kind of person the Oklahoma quarterback is off the field.
Jackson drew a comparison to Rosen and Myles Garrett, the defensive end the Browns chose with the first pick in 2017.
In February 2017, Garrett made a video imploring the Cowboys to trade for the first pick and draft him. That was interpreted as Garrett not wanting to play for the Browns. Garrett went on to clear that notion at the 2017 combine and said he would have no problem if the Browns drafted him.
Rosen on Feb. 27 told NFL Network an ESPN story alleging he didn’t want to play
for the Browns had no basis. Rosen said he plans to tell Browns general manager John Dorsey he would be happy playing in Cleveland.
“Obviously we’ll ask that question and (Rosen) will be able to answer it,” Jackson said. “I don’t get concerned about those things because sometimes things get written that people don’t say.”
Allen has the strongest arm of all the quarterbacks in the draft, but he completed only 56.2 percent of his passes in 2017. Allen will be throwing against much better defenses in the NFL than he faced
while at Wyoming.
“We’re going to find out why it’s 56.2 percent,” Jackson said. “That’s why we’re here at the combine. That’s what we’ll be doing over the next month or two is finding out why those things are happening.”
In non-quarterback matters, Jackson said he expects Joe Thomas to decide soon on whether he plans to play in 2018. The 10-time Pro Bowl left tackle suffered a seasonending triceps injury midway through 2017, ending his streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps.
“It’s on his time,” Jackson said. “Joe has been a tremendous Cleveland Brown. I think it’s only right we give him the opportunity to work through this and make the best decision for him.”
One more nugget: When the Browns finished 1-15 in 2016, Jackson said he would jump in Lake Erie if that happened again. After the 0-16 finish in 2017, he said he would make good on that promise. He repeated that vow at the end of his combine interview.
“It’s going to be a cleansing of the Cleveland Browns,” he said. “That’s what it will be.”